Author's Note: I'm sorry! I've been apologizing a lot, haven't I? I'm doing my best. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll try to get the next one up sometime this week if I can.

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

I watch as Tsuna struggles with keeping Kyoya's hedgehog from hurting him. It's clear that he's struggling a lot. I glance at Kyoya. Of course, this is Kyoya's method of teaching, so I guess it really can't be helped. I go over to Kyoya and he turns to me questioningly. He doesn't even need to pay attention to what's going on with Tsuna. "Tsuna-san is struggling a lot, you know? At this rate, it doesn't seem like he'll be able to keep you entertained for too long. Not at this level," I comment softly, so only he can hear.

"You're right," Kyoya replies. I look back at the gigantic cloud fame. It's really pretty, actually. It reminds me of fireworks. I smile a little bit as Tsuna manages to push the hedgehog back a little bit. Well, it's progress.

Gokudera exclaims, "He did it!"

"Wow! He pushed it back!" Yamamoto adds.

Kyoya frowns. "Hm. As I had heard from the infant, you're nothing like the man I know, who was older by ten years."

"What was that?!" Gokudera exclaims.

"Nothing like him? When he's doing that well?" Yamamoto asks. Gokudera curses.

I laugh a little. "Your standards are just different. Though, that's to be expected," I say. "Lal Mirch-san is thinking of the adult Tsuna-san whereas you guys are thinking of his teenage-self."

Lal Mirch scolds Gokudera and Yamamoto, "Shut up and watch." Tsuna manages to use Zero Point Breakthrough First Edition and freeze Kyoya's hedgehog.

Fuuta and Lambo gasp and Lambo exclaims with wide eyes, "The fireworks froze!"

"Wow!" Yamamoto exclaims.

"Way to go, Tenth!" Gokudera shouts with a grin. Their standards really have changed. More so than I expected, really. It's not over yet. Not even close.

Lal Mirch shouts, "It's not over yet!" I watch as purple clouds start to multiply and surround Tsuna. "Purple clouds! Are they multiplying?" Tsuna tries to freeze the multiplying clouds in vain. He can't freeze them as quickly as they start to multiply quickly. The clouds completely surround Tsuna and form an air-tight sphere around Tsuna. Kyoya's ring shatters. The room is silent as everyone watches the sphere fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Tsuna!"

"Tenth!"

Fuuta asks, "What is that?"

"He turned into a ball!" Lambo exclaims happily.

Kyoya replies, "Needled Sphere Form." They all turn to Kyoya questioningly. "An air-tight sphere made from compounded Cloud Flames that has the ultimate power of isolation. His flames don't have the strength to break this."

"What?" Gokudera asks.

Kyoya walks over to the sphere and puts his hand on it. "The amount of oxygen is limited in the isolated area. If you don't escape soon, you'll die," Kyoya warns Tsuna.

"Knock it off!" Gokudera shouts angrily. "You come out of nowhere after all this time… Do you plan on killing the Tenth?! Let him out!" He turns to me. "Or is that Mukuro convinced you to get him to do this?!"

This catches me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear this. Then again, it's not like I can expect the past Gokudera to be like the one that I know. "Eh? Onii-chan?" I ask. "I-" I start defensively.

"It's only natural that the weak return to the dirt. While I may have reason to kill Sawada, Tsunayoshi, I certainly have no reason to let him live," Kyoya replies in my defense. He glances at me and I nod my head slightly for him. I smile at him gratefully.

Gokudera and Yamamoto look at me. Gokudera with anger and Yamamoto with concern. "Didn't you say that you were grateful towards the Tenth before?!" Gokudera exclaims angrily.

I nod. "I did, and I still am," I reply calmly.

"How can you say that while letting this go on?!"Gokduera exclaims.

"This is for Tsuna-san's benefit. Is there a reason not to let this go on?" I reply calmly. "I believe that Tsuna-san can clear this. Isn't that enough of a reason to allow this to continue?" It's quiet for a moment, but Gokudera doesn't stop glaring at me. The interactions I've had with his future-self were much more pleasant.

"Well said, Hisoka. So, let's being our training," Reborn says.

Gokudera and Yamamoto gasp and turn around to face Reborn. "H-Hold on, Reborn-san!" Gokudera exclaims. "If this keeps up, the Tenth will…"

"If Hibari says he'll do something, he'll do it," Yamamoto says.

Reborn replies, "I know. That's why he's Hibari. All of the trials the previous Vongola bosses had to overcome had true murderous intent behind them."

"Vonogla…" Gokudera starts.

"Trials…." Yamamoto finishes. Kyoya smirks. It seems that the seriousness of this situation has finally been realized.

I smile a little. "Just focus on your training and put your faith in Tsuna-san. You believe that he can clear it too, don't you?" Gokudera frowns a little but doesn't say anything more. I turn back to the Needled Sphere Form as Bianchi leaves with Gokudera, and Yamamoto follows after Reborn to begin their training. The sphere shakes a little and Hibird flies over and nestles in my hair. There are more tremors coming from the inside. I said what I did, but I can't help but worry. He certainly isn't as strong as his future-self was, but I didn't expect there to be such a great difference in power.

When his oxygen is about up, Tsuna shouts, "Stop it!" I fiddle anxiously with my hair and Kyoya turns to me. I'm really worried now.

"That's the end of his oxygen. It's a mentally and physically dangerous situation," Kusakabe reports.

Lal Mirch exclaims angrily, "This is nothing more than another meaningless death! You need to stop the training right now!" I know that what Kyoya's doing is right in a way, but I'm still scared. I don't want him to die. Not again. Not at such a young age.

Kyoya replies, "You're the one who told Sawada to wear the Ring on his finger when he fights. That was correct. And in this extreme environment, he is being tested to see if he can become the Sawada, Tsunayoshi you wished him to be. It's my understanding that no Vongola boss has been tested at such a young age though."

"Sawada can't do this right now!" Lal Mirch exclaims. Reborn comes over. "Reborn!" He doesn't say a word. I continue to fiddle with my hair anxiously as I watch the sphere. Tsuna…I'm sure that you'll be alright. You've always managed somehow… Especially when we were teens. Surely, this won't be the second exception, right? Suddenly, the sphere starts to crack. It seems to be bursting with light from the inside. I smile.

"It's so bright," Lambo comments.

"W-What's happening?" Lal Mirch asks.

"Kyo-san! What is this?" Kusakabe asks.

Kyoya replies, "The needled sphere is breaking." I continue to watch quietly and I close my eyes as the sphere breaks completely and dust is blown up. Tsuna's weapon changed. It's the one that we were waiting for. Tsuna lights a pretty pure looking sky flame. "Wow," Kyoya says. I see that he's smiling a little. Oh, that's rare… I let Hibird land on my finger, knowing that Kyoya will want to fight Tsuna now. "You seem a little more like the you that I know," Kyoya says to Tsuna, "The you who excites me the same way the infant does." He glances at Reborn. "I can do whatever I want here forward, right, infant?"

Reborn nods. "That was the deal." I step back to where Kusakabe is and watch as the two begin to fight. Kyoya seems dissatisfied. Of course, Tsuna is having trouble using his new weapon. He's getting hit by Kyoya a lot and even self-destructs himself and hits the floor with a crash. Tsuna charges at Kyoya, but knowing Kyoya, you shouldn't do that. He'll just counter. So, why? Tsuna should know this. I watch carefully. Tsuna's hand… I smile. He's become quite the crook while my younger-self wasn't paying attention. Kyoya's about to be amused again. Reborn looks at me and smirks. Oh, so he knows that I figured it out.

"I'm disappointed in you. I don't have any interest in weak herbivores. I don't even feel like killing you myself. I'll use a box," Kyoya says. He fails to find his box and Tsuna holds it up.

He lights a weak flame and puts it into Kyoya's box. "I'm counting on you," he says weakly. Kyoya's box weapon flies towards him. I smile as Kyoya takes another box weapon out and sends out another porcupine to counter.
"That was a good plan," Kusakabe comments.

I nod in agreement. "It was," I say.

Kyoya continues to smile. "I've changed my mind. I want to fight you when you are stronger. I'll stick with you for a bit longer, until that time," he decides. "So, do you know how the boxes were made?"

"I'll explain that," Lal Mirch says. That's what we've been researching for a while. The more we research, the more the mystery thickens though. It's an interesting thing indeed.

When Kyoya finishes his explanation, he starts to head off. "Hisoka. Tetsu," he says.

"Right," Kusakabe says. He runs over to Kyoya.

"Okay," I say. I follow behind Kusakabe and walk next to Kyoya. As we get to the elevator, Yamamoto comes out.

"Hey. Have you seen the kid?" Yamamoto asks Kyoya.

"Yamamoto, Takeshi… Perhaps," Kyoya replies, walking right past Yamamoto.

"Sorry," I say quietly. I smile at him apologetically before I nod in the direction that Reborn is before I continue to follow Kyoya into the elevator. We head back to our side of the base. I smile at Kyoya. "It looked like you were enjoying yourself," I comment. "It's been a while since you smiled like that."